


What's a Knight without his King?

by j_f_david



Category: The Wicker King - K. Ancrum
Genre: Drama, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23681785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_f_david/pseuds/j_f_david
Summary: Jack confides in August, who is bummed as to what to do, old memories and feelings cloud his judgement, but some much needed conversations with Rina help him face Jack with the right reaction. I guess (?).
Relationships: August/Rina, Jack/August, Jack/August/Rina, Jack/Rina, Jarina, Jarinaugust, Jaugust, Rinaugust
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	What's a Knight without his King?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Annmyst](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annmyst/gifts).



> Happy very belated birthday, Anna, I just got my profile un-banned xD

Sometimes, very rarely Jack still sees things, from the corner of his eye, like a bird flying by or someone standing there, but whenever he looks, nothing’s there. He told this to August during the day, and it’s been several months since they left behind the whole hospital thing. So now August is lying between Rina and Jack, not being able to sleep contrary to the others.  
This can’t be happening. Jack had a brain tumor and it was removed, so he shouldn’t be able to see the other world anymore. Even if they’re sure the other world exists without being seen, the ability for Jack so see it shouldn’t be possible.

August is tossing and turning, wrecking his brain, trying to figure out what’s happening. When Jack told him this today, it was obvious that he’s been keeping it a secret for quite some time from the other, but getting too scared and anxious about it, he spilled the beans to August, on the verge of tears; he clearly felt helpless, that was what led to his confession. August, though, wasn’t able to provide any clever insights to his friend, only told him that it’s okay. But it isn’t. He has to be there for Jack at times like this, he wants to be there. He’s sick of seeing him feeling weak. He’s his King, and as his Knight, his duty is to serve him, no matter what.

He sits up, because unquestionably sleep won’t come tonight, and that’s when he feels a soft palm on his back, and Rina’s sleepy voice whispers to him.

‘What is it?’

August turns his head to the girl, who’s rubbing his eyes with her other hand.

‘Sorry I woke you up.’ He mumbles.

‘That’s okay, just tell me if it’s anything I can help with.’ She also sits up, putting her arms around August’s chest. ‘Is it about him?’ Rina asks, because August instinctively looked at Jack, who’s still asleep.

‘Yeah.’ August turns back, staring ahead into dark nothing.

‘If you’re worried about Jack, it must be with reason, so let me help if I can. Please.’ She adds, as she looks at the sleeping boy with love and newfound worry in her eyes.

August holds his head in his hands and leans on Rina, who cuddles him like the most precious thing in the world. He’s fighting within himself, being torn between confidentiality and Rina’s right to be involved. He then decides and leads the girl out of the bedroom into the living room by her hand.  
They sit down, but the words stuck in August’s throat as he’s trying to find the right words to begin with.

‘Think it through, while I make some tea.’ The girl offers and leaves for the kitchen.

He’s making the right decision – August is trying to convince himself. What if the tumor is back, what if the whole ordeal will start anew… Would he really want it to not come back? No, no, that’s selfish thinking, it’s Jack’s health he should be more concerned with. The other world would mean nothing without his King. It has to be enough to know it’s there, and that they’re here for each other.  
Rina returns with two mugs of steaming hot tea, handing one to August and sitting next to him with the other.

‘So? What is it about Jack that keeps you awake like this?’

‘Rina…’ August starts, but now he’s the one starting to feel helpless. ‘He says he sometimes sees things.’

‘What? Like the other world?’

‘He says he can’t be sure, but he’s also convinced it’s that.’

‘But they removed the tumor… Are you thinking it’s back?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘If it is, we have to act fast before it damages his brain.’

‘I know.’

‘But?’

‘He’s scared, but I saw how happy it made him, just the idea that he could see his world again.’

‘August.’

‘I know, but like… I feel the same way as him. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth.’ Rina sighs.

‘I understand. Not the other world, but since you guys told me about the whole thing, I think I can say I understand your attitudes towards it. Still, August, last time it could have nearly killed Jack – and on the same note, you. So I advise, get your shit together and drag him to a doctor, if he doesn’t want to go on his own.’

‘You’re right. I’ll talk to him in the morning. Thanks.’

‘All the time.’ Rina lets a faded smile appear on her beautiful but worried face, to which August puts a hand on the back of her head and leans in for a kiss.

When Jack wakes up he’s alone in the bed which gives him a small fright until he walks out of the bedroom and finds the others in the living room on the sofa. They’re cuddling while asleep and this puts a little smile on Jack’s face. He watches them for a few more moments before going to the bathroom. By the time he comes back, the other two are in the process of waking up, stretching and yawning, which he finds cute.

‘Good morning!’ He greets them.

‘’morning!’ Rina mumbles, standing up and going over to Jack to kiss him. ‘Who wants some coffee?’

‘Me.’ Say the boys in unison.

‘On it.’ Rina chuckles.

Jack makes his way to sit next to August on the sofa, who doesn’t look very good.

‘Did you not get a good night’s sleep? Was I turning and tossing too much?’

‘Nah.’ August looks at him, admiring the other boy. He slowly inches closer but waits for Jack, who closes the distance and gives him a kiss which August leans into, putting all his frustration in it.

‘What was that?’ Jack asks when they part. ‘Did something happen? Are you okay?’

Oh, dear, sweet Jack, his everything, his King, his best friend, his source of life. Worrying about him instead of himself, when he’s the one who should be asking these kind of questions.

‘Jack, we need to talk.’

‘That doesn’t sound good.’ He leans back a little, putting distance between them.

August hurts a little, but he knows it’s for their own good, for Jack’s own good.

Rina comes back shortly, holding a plate with three coffee mugs, distributing them and sitting down in the armchair.

‘Thank you!’ Jack smiles, and notices a faint disturbance in the girl’s smile as she looks at him. ‘So, what is it about?’

August stares into his mug, like the answer is in the brown liquid, he just has to look for long enough.

‘It’s about you, Jack.’ Starts Rina, when it’s obvious that August went mute.

‘Me?’

‘Yes. August told me you still see things sometimes.’

Jack whips his head toward August, but he’s still mesmerized by his coffee – in truth, he doesn’t dare look into Jack’s eyes.

‘I see.’ Jack holds a hand in front of his face.

‘You know, you don’t have to keep things like this from me either.’ Rina sidetracks.

‘It’s not… It’s not about keeping things from you. I wasn’t secure enough to share it with August, but I figured it’s better if I do, I thought that if someone, he’d understand me best.’

‘That might be true, I mean he went through this with you, but I’m here too, if you want to talk. Oh, and don’t feel betrayed by him because he told me, he was worried sick and hesitated a lot… What I'm trying to say is that I think we should be more comfortable relying on each other, the three of us.’

‘About that, you’re right.’ Answers Jack after a while of thinking. ‘Sorry, it’s just a topic I’m… I don’t even know. It still can be confusing.’

‘Even I get that.’ The girl smiles. ‘So, August, would you like to join the conversation?’

Hearing his name shakes August out of his daze and he’s thankful to Rina for giving him some time to get his thoughts a little more together.

‘Yes, sorry. So Jack, have you thought of visiting a doctor, like if you were to go to a control checkup?’

‘No, not really. Should I go?’

‘That’s up to you.’ August trails off.

‘Would it be so bad to be able to steal glances of my world?’

The question hits August like lightning. Of course it’s what he’d want too, but if the tumor is back, Jack’s health is more important. He knows he should vocalize this, just as he formed the sentences in his head, but he can’t bring himself to do so. What if Jack gets upset with him because of the suggestion? What if he’ll think he doesn’t care about the other world anymore, or that he’s not supporting him anymore, he’s not his Knight anymore? He couldn’t bare that. No.

‘No.’

‘August!’ Rina practically barks at him.

‘Fine!’ The boy shouts back, slamming his mug on the coffee table. It seems like he’s about to storm off, but he just starts pacing up and down in the room. ‘No. But if the tumor is back, you have to have surgery.’

‘I see.’ Jack speaks quietly, then stands up, in the way of August’s frantic walking, stopping him. ‘I’ll go. I mean to do a checkup. But you’re coming with me.’ He commands, and August nods, then hangs his head.

Fortunately when Jack calls his doctor that did his checkups after the surgery she’s more than willing to see him right away, considering his history.

They get ready to leave, both of them kiss Rina goodbye – for now –, and they’re on their way in an hour to the hospital, Jack driving, and August driving himself crazy seated next to him.  
When they arrive the doctor isn’t even surprised to see August as well, he’s been accompanying Jack there after his release every time he had a checkup. The doc notes that even after all this time they’re inseparable while escorting them to the MRI room.

‘But as usual, you have to wait outside a little.’ She turns to August, who looks at Jack.

‘It’s fine, it’s just the usual brain scan, right?’ Jack grabs her attention.

‘But of course. Though you didn’t tell me the reason you feel the need to do it, I’m curious to hear it afterwards, as you promised.’

‘A promise is a promise.’ Smiles Jack. ‘But not until you tell me the results, for which I better get going.’

The doctor is pleased, and they enter the room to do the test. Jack charmed her into handfeeding her, August thinks and sits down in the waiting area.

The waiting time is eating away at August’s soul, but he’s busy convincing himself that he made the right decision by telling Jack to come and go through with the checkup.

After a while Jack emerges from the MRI room, the doctor tailing him, shepherding them into her office to look at the results on her computer. The boys sit opposite the table to the doctor as she’s clicking through pictures of Jack’s brain frame by frame.

‘I see nothing wrong with your brain, Mr. Rossi, the cell regeneration seems to be normal as well. If I satisfied your “humor me” request, would you please finally tell me what was this all of a sudden?’

Jack lets out a sight that can be interpreted as at least two kinds of relief to both audiences.

‘Sure, thank you doctor. Well, the thing is, sometimes, very rarely, I might add, I catch myself seeing things out of the corner of my eyes but when I look, nothing unusual is there.’

August finds himself amused at Jack’s carefully selected words.

‘I see, that is indeed a good reason to be cautious, taking your history into consideration.’ Nods the doctor, deep in thoughts, when suddenly realization seems to hit her. ‘You know, your history might be the explanation to what you experience now. It is very common, in fact, but… Let me start from the beginning: the brain works in mysterious ways, one is that it only perceives clearly what your vision is focused on. Because of this, what isn’t deemed important tends to get blurred or filled with junk data, that if you notice it, might be interpreted as something your brain is familiar with or well, practically anything you can imagine. That’s why you only see these things on your peripheral vision, and because of what visual experience the tumor in your brain put you through, you aren’t that used to this experience than before or than anyone else with able vision, etc. Was I able to explain it well?’ She stops suddenly and looks at one boy to the other and back.

‘Yes, I think I understand, thank you, you out my mind at ease.’ Jack is smiling again, being as charming as ever.

‘I’m glad I could help. And well, a checkup never hurts, especially if you have concerns. We’ll schedule the next appointment to three months from now, okay? And in the meantime, if you get bothered by anything like this again, feel free to give me a call, it’s better safe than sorry!’ She chirps as she escorts the boys to the lounge.

‘Agreed and thank you, again. See you next time!’ Jack waves as they exit the hospital building, August tailing him. ‘Are you satisfied?’ The smaller boy halts and turns when they reach the car, making August almost bump into him.

‘I’m just happy you’re healthy.’ He averts his gaze. Jack eyes him then commands.

‘Get in the car and text Rina that I’m fine. We’re going on a small detour on our way home.’

August doesn’t dare ask, he just does as he’s told; writes a little detailed text to Rina, so she doesn’t worry and understands the gist of it, while Jack drives.

They end up not far from the edge of town, walking on the fields. After a good ten minutes of walking in silence, Jack stops and sits down, patting the ground next to him, signaling for August to sit there.

‘August, I understand why you got worried, and it was a reasonable assumption that it may be because of another tumor, and I know you want the best for me. And the doc’s explanation is logical too, yet I don’t want to let go of the possibility that what I want to believe – that these are glimpses of my world – is also a possible truth. Is that bad?’ Finally he looks at August, who listened intently.

‘Honestly, Jack? I secretly wished it’s what you think. But Rina made me aware that I can’t ignore the chance that it’s your health, and that is more important than what I wanted to believe.’

‘And now that it’s clearly not a health problem?’

‘Will you tell me everything you see?’ August’s eyes start glimmering in the afternoon sun and Jack is taken aback.

‘Every little detail I can catch.’ He promises, and a promise is a promise.

‘Am I still your Knight?’ August can’t help but blurts out.

‘As long as I don’t release you from your service, which will never happen.’

For some reason Jack’s voice as he says the sentence August wants to hear makes him overjoyed. He bows his head, feeling a warm palm on his hair right after, indicating that he is to remain as his King’s Knight. He looks up and sees Jack cracking a smile, to which he practically jumps him and kisses him long and deep.

They embrace each other for a little while more before heading home to Rina, telling her all about the day’s events.


End file.
